Two years ago, I wrote about the examples of Anna and Simeon. I remain intrigued by the story of these two faithful watchers for Jesus’ first appearing and want to further explore the relevance of their faith for our day.
Luke 2:22-38 records the story of their remarkable belief in God’s promises to Israel and His promise to send a Deliverer. Guided by the Holy Spirit, the pair immediately recognized the baby as the long-awaited Messiah, the One spoken of in the prophetic texts throughout Scripture.
Although well-advanced in years, they held onto the hope that they might see the promised Messiah before death. The Lord had previously revealed to Simeon that he would see “the Lord’s Christ” before he died (2:26). The prophetess Anna did not mention any such special revelation, but tells us that she spent all of her days in the temple “worshipping with fasting and prayer” (2:37).
There is much in the example of Anna and Simeon that encourages us as we wait for Jesus’ appearing to take us home.
They Were Old
I realize that many from the younger generations eagerly await Jesus’ appearing, and perhaps several of them are reading this article; please know I thank the Lord for you. However, I also know that most of today’s watchers are the product of solid Bible teaching on future things during the 1960s and 1970s. Many of us read Hal Lindsey’s book, The Late Great Planet Earth, which laid a firm biblical foundation for our expectancy of Jesus’ appearing before the start of the seven-year Tribulation.
Based on the emails I receive and what I hear from other ministries, I know that our beliefs in future things are not welcome in most churches. Young pastors refuse to listen to what seasoned saints have to say on anything pertaining to Scripture, especially in regard to Bible prophecy. Pastors tell us we are not welcome in their churches, as has happened to me more than once.
However, just as the Lord rewarded the faith of Anna and Simeon in their old age, so we have His assurance that He will also reward our eager anticipation of Jesus’ appearing (regardless of our age).
“Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:8).
Of course, the promise of this “crown” applies to all believers, young and old, who long for Jesus’ appearing. But as we age, isn’t it reassuring to know that Jesus loves to reward faith in His promises?
The Lord Rewarded Their Bible Prophecy
Why did Anna and Simeon so readily accept that the infant Joseph and Mary brought to the temple was the promised Messiah? They believed Bible prophecy, and more specifically, the opening lines of Isaiah 9:6, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given.” They didn’t seem at all surprised that the baby they held in their arms was indeed the long-awaited Christ. They believed what Scripture said and didn’t try to allegorize (symbolize) the promise that the Messiah would arrive as a baby.
I believe it was for our encouragement that God chose to include the stories of these older saints in our Bibles. Could it be God’s way of showing that many believers will witness Jesus’ appearing before death? I think so.
This is not at all to diminish the faith of those who die while possessing an eager anticipation of Jesus’ return. The Lord will most certainly reward their belief in the words of Bible prophecy. In recent years, beloved fellow watchers such as Hal Lindsey, Tim LaHaye, and Ed Hindson have gone home to be with Jesus, and I am sure they received a warm welcome along with special recognition for their belief in the words of Scripture in regard to Israel and the Rapture.
Yet the story of Anna and Simeon holds out hope for all of us who long for Jesus’ appearing in our lifetime, and we pray that it happens soon.
A Faithful Remnant
Like Anna and Simeon, watchers of all ages belong to a faithful remnant of those eagerly awaiting Jesus’ appearing. In their day, not everyone in Israel was looking for the arrival of their Messiah, nor did they recognize the signs that verified His arrival.
The oppression of the Roman occupation made the long wait exceedingly difficult for the Jewish people as the time of Jesus’ birth neared. The religious leaders of the day, caught up in a fog of self-righteousness, a quest for popularity, and love for the status quo, rejected their Messiah even after He performed great miracles before their eyes. These identical reasons keep many Christians today from recognizing the voluminous and obvious biblical signs that we live in the last days just before the start of the seven-year Tribulation.
Times and circumstances have changed since the days of Anna and Simeon, but the reasons for the failure of so many Christians to believe the Bible’s promises regarding Jesus’ appearing remain the same.
Walking in the footsteps of Anna and Simeon, we also belong to a faithful remnant who trust the words of Scripture and, as a result, recognize the season in which we live, that of Jesus’ imminent appearing.
